Can anything stop Royale Pagaille as he goes for record third Peter Marsh? Analysis and key quotes on the Haydock feature

For a long time the Peter Marsh has been a sister race of sorts to the Tommy Whittle, another big handicap chase held over the same course and distance four weeks earlier.

Royale Pagaille has changed that. In lugging big weights to win the last two runnings, he has made the most of the Peter Marsh's higher grade. The Tommy Whittle is a 0-145, with the last two topweights running off 137 and 140. You need a mark of 140 to get in the handicap proper in the Peter Marsh.

As a pretty much direct result, this will be the first season since 2002-03 in which both races have taken place and had no runners in common. This is simply the classier race now.

It is necessary to start with Royale Pagaille, who is giving a stone and more to the rest. None of the others would have been a single-figure price in the Betfair Chase in receipt of a stone, and Royale Pagaille won that race.

The only downside for the topweight is how little racing he has stood of late. He has managed only five runs in the last two calendar years. Trust is an issue in a way it was not in 2022, when he won this race at 5-2 off a lower mark.

Trelawne: could struggle to get home in testing groundCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

There are dangers, although in deep ground Trelawne is not that high on the list. He seemed not to get home over three miles at Ascot last time. The GoingStick reading, reported as 4.0 on Friday, would suggest this is going to be one of those especially muddy days Haydock can throw up.

That is part of the reason Mr Vango is so prominent in the betting. He was ante-post favourite for the Welsh National before a setback ruled him out. As with Royale Pagaille, fragility is the niggle but everything else is positive. It would not be a surprise were these two forward-ridden mudlarks to end up duking it out up the straight.

The alternatives that appeal are all wildcards to an extent. Chambard is so much his own boss that I could never back him, although he has conditions in his favour. Imagine and Richmond Lake share similar DNA and have a stronger pull.

Both were talented novices who have shaped like stayers and shown themselves effective in the mud. Imagine went off 6-1 for the Paddy Power Gold Cup but shaped so poorly that it is hard to believe the ground being too quick was the sole culprit.

Richmond Lake won on borderline unraceable ground at Aintree in December 2023 and it wrecked his season. He has come back to form after a summer off and ran into the progressive Imperial Saint last time. He has always been worth a try at longer distances and makes each-way appeal in a race where any finisher has a good chance of copping place money.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

Royale Pagaille on the trail of history

Haydock specialist Royale Pagaille attempts to make history as the first three-time winner of the Peter Marsh Chase.

Eight weeks after winning the Betfair Chase for the second consecutive year, the Venetia Williams-trained 11-year-old reverts back to handicap company for a race he won on the last two occasions it was staged in 2021 and 2022.

The Peter Marsh, won twice by the top-class Jodami in the 1990s, was mentioned as a likely next target shortly after the Betfair Chase and became the definite plan after Royale Pagaille was ruled out of the King George with a minor issue.

Williams said: "He's fine. He's going back to his familiar place and we're hoping for another good run.

"It's always going to be his race as he's got such a good record at Haydock. He carries these weights all the time, so I don't think he'll notice any extra weight than he usually carries."

What they say

Kim Bailey, joint-trainer of Trelawne
The ground should be perfect for him and he ran well at the track when winning two starts ago. The ground was too quick for him at Ascot last time. It's going to be very hard to beat Royale Pagaille, but we'll give it a good shot and he should run a big race.

Sam Thomas, trainer of Iwilldoit
He came out of the Welsh National really well. He didn't have as hard a race as he has done there, with the ground not being as bad. He absolutely bounced out of his stable the next day. It's a good race, as it should be, and Royale Pagaille is a proper horse round Haydock and a Grade 1 winner, so he could prove really tough to beat. We're plenty happy with our lad and for once he's not going to be carrying near top weight.

Harry Derham, trainer of Imagine
He was hugely disappointing last time and was beaten a long way out. Hopefully he can travel a bit better and get into a better jumping rhythm. He needs to improve enormously on what he did at Cheltenham but I'm very hopeful he can. He did most of his winning in Ireland on real slow ground and you'd like to think this will be a bit more to his liking.

Venetia Williams, trainer of Chambard
We could have run him at Market Rasen in the Veterans' Final but I think the softer ground here will steady the pace a little bit, which will be better for him.

Donald McCain, trainer of Richmond Lake
He loves Haydock and Haydock ground. We thought if Venetia's horse [Royale Pagaille] ran we'd be one of a handful in the handicap. We want to know once and for all whether he stays.
Reporting by Andrew Dietz

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